The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1887-10-21

! 'side wipe'' for allowing appropriation
hills 70 TALL. and says that for the lack 81
T,nJs To nav the witnesses the suits
against Sierra Lumber company IN Cali
fornia and the Northern Pacific Railroad
| company in Idaho are likely to iall through.
! Next year Sparks wants hity special TIM
| her AGENTS. and $3.50, 600. The re-
nHrt reneats recommendations og
former Years, regarding reform Of
the land laws. He recommends the
segregation OF timber lands for general
entry. the throwing open OF abandoned
military reservations to homestead entry,
n law authorizing process for witnesses in
land cases before registers and receivers,
| the abolition OF land office fees and SAL
aries for registers and receivers, the regu-
lation OF attesting officers, the repeal
NJ the REIMBURSEMENT law and
an appropriation OF $4,000 per
wear for the employing Of
| special counsel in land cases in the courts.
The report gives the estimates Tor Office
work and clerk hire for the ensuing year.
The total estimates are $2,4SS, 636 as
against 81, sos, 4SO appropriated for the
present fiscal year.
On the subject Of the forfeiture otrail-
road land grants, the commissioner quotes
from his last annual report and adds:
I renew the recommendation that forfeit
IRE he declared in all cases in which the
roads we're not completed within the time
and in the manner conditioned In the re-
s~pective grants.
In the course OF his remarks on land
frauds, Sparks says:
Such a record OF crime as that shown by
investigations made by special agents
during the last two years is rarely to be
found. Bold, reckless and gigantic schemes
to rob the government OF its lands have
been discovered and exposed in every state
and territory containing public lands, and
| think / can truthiully say in every land
district and county which n special agent
has visited. Systematic efforts to mislead
and corrupt entry men in order that they
might become Instruments in dsfrauding
the government nave been resorted to.
Men OF intelligence and high standing in
the community, in many instances million
aires, were the leaders in these nlawful
transactions. Over five thousand cases
have been discovered wherein perjury
or s~ubornation OF perjury was com
mitted. In a majority OF cases the
officers before whom the proofs or other
papers were executed, largely state and
territorial officers not directly responsible
to the and department, were cognizant OF
the fraud, or could have become so by or.
binary diligence. While under improved reg.
u~lations and more efficient supervision the
area OF fraudulent entries Is gradually be-
coming circumscribed, there still remains
much to do, and the entire or general ces-
satiOn OF fraud cannot be expected 80 long
as the facilities offered for it's perpetuation
by existing laws are so great and means
provided for their prevention are so small.
A efforts to secure a reform in the land
laws by a repeal or amendment OF ~particu-
lar acts and provisions have failed through
the opposition of interest in variance with
nrOnOaad iapiRlatiOD. am EatiRfiad
that amendments in detail are impracti-
cable. The time for tinkering has passed.
Existing systems of disposal, fundamental
ly defective in the original instance, have
become wholly unsuited to present con-
ditions.
1t would also appear that the time has
arrived when the privilege OF appropriate
ing public lands should be confined to citi.
Gems OF the United States. The mineral
laws should be so amended as to preserve
the public right OF mineral exploration to
citizens OF the United States and to pre-.
vent a jeopardy OF native mineral wealth
by individuals and corporations.